Grain Inspection

U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) has proposed amending the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act to require market agencies and dealers to register every five years. Under the proposed rule, a registration that is not renewed would expire after five years. Under current regulations, an approved registration is effective indefinitely. When applying for registration, the applicant must certify that its financial condition meets the P&S Act's requirements, list its type of business organization, whether it will operate on a calendar year or fiscal year basis and identify the character of its business and the species of livestock it will handle.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson says a Valley City company has been barred from livestock dealing in North Dakota after an audit of its books raised questions. Johnson said he issued the cease and desist order against the Triple S Cattle Co., Inc., which also does business as Sommers Livestock. He says auditors found indications that accounts had not been paid on time. Arlen Sommers said he has been in business for more than 50 years and it was the first time he's had problems paying accounts on time.

WASHINGTON - National Farmers Union (NFU) held briefings for U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture and U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee members and their staff on the Grain Inspection and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) proposed rule. The panel was comprised of livestock producers from across the country and moderated by NFU Vice President of Government Relations Chandler Goule. It is critical to ensure that the voices of U.S. producers are heard through this rulemaking process, said NFU President Roger Johnson.

While he knows farmers and ranchers have plenty of questions about looming new rules that will impact the marketing of livestock and poultry, a U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary couldn't address many of those concerns Wednesday in Aberdeen. Edward Avalos, the USDA undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs, said attorneys advised him not to discuss details about the so-called GIPSA rule. GIPSA is the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, the agency that will author rules proponents say will provide more protections to ag producers in their dealings with packers.

We were angered to see recent headline of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) claiming 147 Members of Congress Corner USDA on Proposed GIPSA Rule. Stockgrowers questioned the accuracy of many of the statements by NCBA President Bill Donald and remain curious as to what NCBA actually cornered. The NCBA press release was apparently referring to a 'dear colleague' letter circulated by Representatives Jim Costa, Reid Ribble and Frank Lucas in the U.S. House and signed by 144 other House members.

If you only quote the Amen Corner, the only reply you'll ever hear is Hallelujah! And so it was in late October when yet another hired preacher of the Meatpacker Gang, a Brooklyn, N.Y., outfit named John Dunham and Associates, claimed proposed rules to bring meatpackers into compliance with the Packers and Stockyards Act will cut 104,000 jobs nationwide, drop the gross domestic product by $14 billion, and cost local, state and federal tax...

Billings, Mont. Ð A coalition of 557 organizations Ð including R-CALF USA and several of its affiliates Ð sent a formal letter to the full House and Senate to request enough votes in support of the 2008 Farm Bill Conference Report to override any presidential veto. ?This is by no means a perfect piece of legislation, and none of our organizations achieved everything we had individually requested,? the letter states. ?However, it is a carefully balanced compromise of policy priorities that has broad support among organizations representing the national's agriculture, conservation and nutrition interests.

It was, literally, a sight for sore eyes. Two years ago March 12, trumpets blasted in Ankeny, Iowa, as America's new gladiators for agricultural justice - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Jr., his antitrust chief Christine Varney, U.S. Department of Agriculture boss Tom Vilsack and hundreds of farmers - gathered for a day-long discussion on competitive dynamics of the seed industry; trends in contracting issues, marketplace transparency and...

It was, literally, a sight for sore eyes. Two years ago March 12, trumpets blasted in Ankeny, Iowa, as America's new gladiators for agricultural justice - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Jr., his antitrust chief Christine Varney, U.S. Department of Agriculture boss Tom Vilsack and hundreds of farmers - gathered for a day-long discussion on competitive dynamics of the seed industry; trends in contracting issues, marketplace transparency and...

We were angered to see recent headline of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) claiming 147 Members of Congress Corner USDA on Proposed GIPSA Rule. Stockgrowers questioned the accuracy of many of the statements by NCBA President Bill Donald and remain curious as to what NCBA actually cornered. The NCBA press release was apparently referring to a 'dear colleague' letter circulated by Representatives Jim Costa, Reid Ribble and Frank Lucas in the U.S. House and signed by 144 other House members.

WASHINGTON - National Farmers Union (NFU) held briefings for U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture and U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee members and their staff on the Grain Inspection and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) proposed rule. The panel was comprised of livestock producers from across the country and moderated by NFU Vice President of Government Relations Chandler Goule. It is critical to ensure that the voices of U.S. producers are heard through this rulemaking process, said NFU President Roger Johnson.

While he knows farmers and ranchers have plenty of questions about looming new rules that will impact the marketing of livestock and poultry, a U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary couldn't address many of those concerns Wednesday in Aberdeen. Edward Avalos, the USDA undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs, said attorneys advised him not to discuss details about the so-called GIPSA rule. GIPSA is the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, the agency that will author rules proponents say will provide more protections to ag producers in their dealings with packers.

If you only quote the Amen Corner, the only reply you'll ever hear is Hallelujah! And so it was in late October when yet another hired preacher of the Meatpacker Gang, a Brooklyn, N.Y., outfit named John Dunham and Associates, claimed proposed rules to bring meatpackers into compliance with the Packers and Stockyards Act will cut 104,000 jobs nationwide, drop the gross domestic product by $14 billion, and cost local, state and federal tax...

U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) has proposed amending the Packers and Stockyards (P&S) Act to require market agencies and dealers to register every five years. Under the proposed rule, a registration that is not renewed would expire after five years. Under current regulations, an approved registration is effective indefinitely. When applying for registration, the applicant must certify that its financial condition meets the P&S Act's requirements, list its type of business organization, whether it will operate on a calendar year or fiscal year basis and identify the character of its business and the species of livestock it will handle.

Billings, Mont. Ð A coalition of 557 organizations Ð including R-CALF USA and several of its affiliates Ð sent a formal letter to the full House and Senate to request enough votes in support of the 2008 Farm Bill Conference Report to override any presidential veto. ?This is by no means a perfect piece of legislation, and none of our organizations achieved everything we had individually requested,? the letter states. ?However, it is a carefully balanced compromise of policy priorities that has broad support among organizations representing the national's agriculture, conservation and nutrition interests.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson says a Valley City company has been barred from livestock dealing in North Dakota after an audit of its books raised questions. Johnson said he issued the cease and desist order against the Triple S Cattle Co., Inc., which also does business as Sommers Livestock. He says auditors found indications that accounts had not been paid on time. Arlen Sommers said he has been in business for more than 50 years and it was the first time he's had problems paying accounts on time.